A conventional pogo stick utilizes a coil spring within a hollow tube housing to create an upward force when compressed by a user to propel the user in an upward direction. In order to get more lift than can be provided with a coil spring and without increasing the weight of the pogo stick itself, it has been recognized in the art that an air filled cylinder/piston arrangement can produce increased propulsion or lift for the same length of stroke. Some have gone so far as incorporating engine power in order to increase lift and provide a powered jumping stick.
Various attempts have been made in the art to provide pneumatic pogo sticks. For example, PCT Application WO9961111 discloses an air-type pogo stick which includes an air cylinder to which foot-boards are attached in a body. The air cylinder has a valve through which a user can regulate air. The pogo stick is simultaneously worked by both air pressure power and vacuum power created in the upper and lower part of the piston in the cylinder respectively when exerted by an outside force. Such a pogo stick, however, has many shortcomings in both construction and functionality and fails to address any of the problems encountered when attempting to use compressed air as a spring, such as smoothness of rebound.
A similar dual chamber jumping device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,371 in which a working cylinder provides a working chamber containing a mass of gas. A gas exchange chamber is fixed with respect to the working cylinder. An exchange passage connects the working chamber and the gas chamber. A gas exchange valve is provided in the exchange passage. An exchange operating handle is provide separate from the plunger. Such a device is overly complicated and requires multiple complex parts for assembly and operation. Furthermore, such a device is relatively heavy and therefor decreases the lift capabilities of such a device.
Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a pneumatic pogo stick that is of relatively lightweight construction, durable, safe, simple, and reliable in operation.
It would be a further advantage of the present invention to provide a pneumatic pogo stick that provides a relatively smooth ride especially at the bottom of the compression cycle to prevent jarring of the rider.
It would be a further advantage of the present invention to provide a pneumatic pogo stick that allows a user to view the internal components of the pogo stick for verification of the integrity of the working parts.
It would be yet a further advantage of the present invention to provide a pneumatic pogo stick that is capable of smoothly propelling a user several feet off the ground.
It would be still a further advantage of the present invention to provide a pneumatic pogo stick that is easier to maneuver than other pogo sticks known in the art and that can be easily adjusted to accommodate users of various weights and abilities.
These and other advantages will become apparent from a reading of the following summary of the invention and description of the illustrated embodiments in accordance with the principles of the present invention.